The Citadel entered Week 1 looking for an answer after a difficult start to the 2026 season.
One week after a 42-14 loss to Southern Conference opponent Wofford, Citadel went on the road and stunned FBS opponent Charlotte 43-41 in triple overtime on Sept. 5.
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The Bulldogs rushed for 268 yards and six touchdowns and survived a back-and-forth triple-overtime finish to earn one of the biggest FCS wins of the young season.
So, who are the Bulldogs that just took down an FBS opponent? I'm glad you asked.
Here are five things to know about The Citadel football:
The Citadel Just Stunned Charlotte In Triple Overtime
It took three overtimes to decide one of the wildest games of Week 1.
The Citadel and Charlotte were tied 28-28 at the end of regulation after Charlotte scored with 24 seconds remaining.
The Bulldogs pulled ahead despite Charlotte finishing with 538 total yards compared with The Citadel's 400. The Citadel made up for that difference by protecting the football, intercepting Charlotte quarterback Cole Gonzales twice and committing only two penalties for 10 yards.
Most importantly, The Citadel leaned on its rushing attack. In it's win over Charlotte, The Bulldogs ran 50 times for 268 yards and six touchdowns in the win. The Bulldogs also went an impressive 4-for-4 on their red-zone opportunities.
The victory moved The Citadel to 1-1 and gave the Bulldogs their 10th win against an FBS opponent. It was their first FBS win since a 27-24 overtime victory over Georgia Tech in 2019.
Meet Gavin Garcia
Running back Gavin Garcia is quickly becoming one of the names to know in the FCS.
Garcia arrived in Charleston as a graduate transfer after spending the previous four seasons at Kent State.
Now he's making an impact at the FCS level.
Garcia carried the ball 23 times for a game-high 137 yards and three touchdowns against Charlotte. He scored The Citadel's first touchdown of the afternoon and added a 1-yard score in the third quarter before breaking loose for a 25-yard touchdown in overtime.
After his performance against Charlotte, FCS fans may want to keep an eye on what Garcia can do with the football is in his hands.
A Quarterback Competition To Watch
Quarterback Quentin Hayes entered 2026 as one of The Citadel's established offensive players.
However, after the unexpected loss to Wofford and a slow start against Charlotte, graduate transfer Nick Billoups replaced Hayes late in the first half and ended up providing the Bulldogs with a spark after halftime.
His first rushing touchdown put The Citadel ahead 28-21 with 12:11 remaining in the fourth quarter. His second came in the second overtime and kept the Bulldogs alive after Charlotte had taken a 41-35 lead.
Billoups' performance now gives The Citadel an interesting quarterback situation to watch moving forward. He completed 7 of 10 passes for 91 yards without an interception and scored two rushing touchdowns.
Hayes entered the season as the proven starter, but Billoups just helped engineer the program's first victory over an FBS opponent since 2019.
What will head coach Maurice Drayton do?
Maurice Drayton Has Deep Ties To The Citadel
The man leading the Bulldogs views The Citadel as much more than another stop on the career ladder.
Maurice Drayton is a Citadel alumnus who played cornerback for the Bulldogs before graduating in 1998. He later returned to the program as an assistant and served as defensive coordinator during the Bulldogs' 2015 Southern Conference championship season.
Drayton spent seven seasons coaching in the NFL, including stops with the Indianapolis Colts, Green Bay Packers and Las Vegas Raiders. He served as Green Bay's special teams coordinator in 2021 before eventually returning to his alma mater as The Citadel's head coach.
The last two weeks have been an emotional roller coaster for Drayton. The upset against Charlotte came only one week after a difficult season-opening loss to Wofford.
Then, seven days later, Drayton's team walked into an FBS stadium and left with a triple-overtime victory.
Now, The Citadel has an intriguing decision to make at quarterback as it moves forward.
What's Next For The Citadel?
One FBS upset doesn't automatically make The Citadel an FCS playoff contender.
The Bulldogs are 1-1 and already have a Southern Conference loss on their résumé. Now they have to prove the Charlotte performance can translate into sustained success.
The next opportunity comes against Charleston Southern on Sept. 12 in The Citadel's home opener.
- Sept. 12: vs. Charleston Southern
- Sept. 19: Bye
- Sept. 26: vs. Chattanooga
- Oct. 3: at South Carolina State
- Oct. 10: vs. ETSU
- Oct. 17: at Texas A&M
- Oct. 24: vs. Tennessee Tech
- Oct. 31: at Mercer
- Nov. 7: vs. Furman
- Nov. 14: at VMI
- Nov. 21: at Western Carolina
There is one game that immediately jumps off the schedule.
Look Out! The Citadel Has Another FBS Test Against A&M
The Citadel travels to Kyle Field to face Texas A&M on Oct. 17.
Beating Charlotte showed the Bulldogs can go into an FBS stadium and compete. However, Texas A&M will represent an entirely different level of challenge.
Only time will tell whether the Bulldogs' triple-overtime upset was simply one unforgettable Saturday or the beginning of something much more interesting brewing in Charleston.
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